[ExI] Is this who we are?

[Stuart LaForge]

BillW wrote:

> We are creatures easily swayed, constantly infected by the opinions of
> others, lacking critical self-understanding, easily gripped by fantastical
> hopes and ambitions.  Our capacity for self-government is spasmodic, and
> even while we preen ourselves on our critical and independent, free and
> rational decisions, we are the slaves of fashion and opinion and social and
> cultural forces of which we are ignorant. It would often be good, and no
> signal of disrespect to ourselves, if those who know better could rescue us
> from our worst follies.

> from Ethics by Simon Blackburn

> - opinions please?

He sounds like a shill for the ruling class. . . but he also sounds like
he is speaking from experience.

Many people genuinely do want to be led by those who they believe know
better than them. Some fewer people genuinely believe that they know
better than others and want to lead them. That is the primate norm after
all. Monkey see, monkey do.

I think only a small minority of people simply want the freedom to act as
they will without being responsible for others. This behavior is less
instinctually satisfying but more intellectually so. But it does make it
so you don't see too many libertarian chimps.


Stuart LaForge